Benefits Overview

Members (Full-time & Part-time greater than or equal to 20 hours/week)

Medical Insurance/Pharmacy Coverage
Medical Insurance and Pharmacy coverage is available to eligible members and their spouses, eligible domestic partners and/or eligible dependents. Individuals have a choice between two plans provided through Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas City:

Blue Care HMO Plan - premium is partially paid by the participant (not available outside the Kansas City area)

Dental Insurance
Dental insurance is available to eligible members and their spouses, eligible domestic partners and/or eligible dependents. Coverage is through Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas City and includes both in-network and out-of network options:

Preferred Care Dental Plan - premium is fully paid by the Company

Vision Coverage
Vision coverage is available to eligible members and their spouses, eligible domestic partners and/or eligible dependents on a voluntary basis through Vision Signature Plan. The premium is fully paid by the participant. Coverage begins the first day of the month coinciding with, or following the date of hire/eligibility.

Life Insurance
Term Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage is provided at no cost to eligible members. Coverage is equal to two times a member’s base annual salary, rounded to the next higher $1,000 not to exceed $500,000. Members may also purchase Additional Life Insurance on themselves, Spouse/Domestic Partner Life Insurance, and/or Dependent Life Insurance.

Tax Savings Plan
Members may redirect a portion of their pay on a pre-tax basis for eligible medical, dental, vision or child/dependent care expenses:

Health Flexible Spending Account – eligible health expenses not covered by the medical, dental or vision plans to an annual limit of $2,550

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account – includes eligible expenses for child/dependent care, while the member and the spouse are both working, to an annual household limit of $5,000

Note: A domestic partner’s expenses are NOT ELIGIBLE to be used for this plan.

Stowers Group Retirement Plan
Eligible members receive a contribution of 15% of their eligible annual salary each year into a retirement account as long as the contributions do not exceed limits fixed by law. Contributions will begin upon qualification of the member as set forth in the plan.

403(b) Savings Plan
Members may contribute between 1% and 50% of their salary each pay period, up to the allowable contribution set by law on a tax-deferred basis. The Plan allows individuals to elect salary deferrals in both Traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (after-tax) accounts.

Holiday Leave
Full-time members are entitled to 11 major holidays per year to include: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and Day after Christmas.

Part-time members regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week and regularly scheduled to work on the holiday will receive holiday pay based on a pro rata basis.

Vacation Leave
Full-time members accrue from 120 - 200 hours of paid vacation leave per year (to a maximum of 4.615 - 7.692 hours per pay period) based on job classification and length of service. Vacation accrual begins on the first day of employment or transfer to a benefit eligible position. Paid vacation may be taken only if it has been accrued. Unused vacation may be carried over annually to a maximum of 240 hours.

Part-time members regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week will receive vacation leave benefits on a pro rata basis.

Sick Leave
Members accrue sick leave upon hire as follows:

Full-time members receive 40 hours of sick leave at hire.

Full-time members accrue up to a maximum of two hours / pay period not to exceed a total of 72 hours.

Part-time members regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours /week accrue sick leave on a pro rata basis.

Paid sick leave may be taken only if it has been accrued. Unused sick leave may be carried over annually to a maximum of 72 hours.

Short Term Disability
Short Term Disability is provided after 6 months of employment at no cost to eligible members. Short Term Disability may only be used for the member’s own personal illness or injury. Short Term Disability pays 100% of a member’s base pay after an illness or injury exceeds five days (one workweek). Medical substantiation is required prior to receiving Short Term Disability.

Long Term Disability
Long Term Disability is provided at no cost to eligible members and may be applied for after the initial 60-day elimination period covered by sick leave (if accrued) and Short Term Disability. Long Term Disability pays 60% of monthly base pay (up to a maximum of $10,000.00 per month).

Parental Leave
Full-time members are entitled to five paid parental leave days upon the occurrence of the birth or adoption of a child /children. All paid parental leave days must be used at one time, and must be used within six months of the occurrence.

Part-time members regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week will receive parental leave benefits on a pro rata basis.

Bereavement Leave
Full-time members are entitled to take up to three consecutive workdays with pay to attend the funeral and take care of personal matters relating to the death of a parent, spouse, domestic partner (as defined by the institute), child, brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild, and spouse or domestic partner’s parent or child. One day of paid leave is available for the death of a brother-in-law, sister-in-law, spouse or domestic partner’s grandparent or grandchild, or any of the extended family living in the individual’s home. In addition, full-time members will receive an additional two days for travel if the funeral is more than 300 miles from Kansas City.

Part-time members regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week will receive bereavement leave benefits on a pro rata basis.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
An Employee Assistance Program is provided at no cost to all members and individuals significant to them. New Directions, a nationally recognized EAP company, provides a free, confidential service that includes: phone consultants available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; up to six face-to-face counseling sessions (per incident) per participant; interactive online resource covering a wide range of topics including Family Life, Stress, Finances, Legal, Health and Wellness, Emotional Wellbeing, and referrals to resources, services, and support in the community.

Fitness Center/Recreational Facility
The Health Club located at the Stowers Institute is available for use by members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On each visit the member may have one guest who is not a family member and a reasonable number of family members as guests. The member must be on the Institute premises while guest(s) use the Health Club and are asked to limit the number of guests during times of peak usage. A recreational facility is located at the Stowers Support Facility for team sports and other recreational activities.

Espresso, Coffee, Tea & Soft Drinks
Espresso, Coffee, Tea, and Soft Drinks are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at no cost to members.

Parking
The institute has free onsite parking adjacent to the research buildings.

Social Events
In addition to regular social events for members, the Institute has a number of regularly scheduled social events for members and their families including an Annual Holiday Party, Annual Chili Cook-off, Annual Octoberfest, and an Annual Picnic.

Note: Additional benefit information and materials will be provided upon hire date. This overview is intended as a summary only, and the specific terms of each individual benefit plan and leave policy govern. Please consult the applicable policies and plan documents for full details.

Stowers Resource Management Inc. is the Plan Sponsor of the retirement and benefit plans for employees of Stowers Resource Management Inc., Stowers Institute for Medical Research, The Graduate School of Stowers Institute for Medical Research, and BioMed Valley Discoveries, Inc.